In general, cats live
longer than most dogs. An average life span might be 12 to 14 years,
with some cats reaching 20 and more. A cat's longevity depends on
whether or not it lives indoors or is allowed outdoors (outdoor cats
live an average of eight years), genetics, feeding, enviroment,
veterinary care and some other factors. The general consensus is that
at about age seven a cat can be considered "middle-aged",
and at age 10 and beyond - old.

It was once generally
thought that one year in the life of the cat was equivalent to seven
years of a human life. A new scale of equivalents is now recognized:
after the first two years, the cat's life proceeds more slowly in
relation to human life and each feline year is approximately four
human years.

Use the chart below to
determine your cat's age in relation to a human's.

Cat's Age:
.............................Human's Age:

6
months.......................................10 years
8 months.......................................13 years
10 months......................................14 years
1 year..........................................15 years
18 months......................................20 years
2 years.........................................24 years
4 years.........................................32 years
6 years.........................................40 years
8 years.........................................48 years
10 years........................................56 years
12 years........................................64 years
14 years........................................72 years
16 years........................................80 years
18 years........................................88 years
20 years........................................96 years
21 years.......................................100 years